The present invention relates to a system for communication and coupling with a vehicle in proximity to fixed service port.
In today""s world, motor vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles are typically powered by internal combustion engines. In these vehicles, a liquid fossil fuel such as gasoline is ignited to transform the chemical energy in the fuel into mechanical energy that is used to drive the vehicle. Due to the scarcity of fossil fuels and the pollution from vehicles burning these fuels, alternative fuels and new vehicles powered by these alternative fuels are being developed. For example, new types of vehicles that utilize gaseous fuels are being developed and are expected to enter commercial production within the next decade.
One type of gaseous fuel powered vehicle is a fuel cell vehicle (FCV), which uses a fuel cell to electrochemically generate electricity from hydrogen fuel and uses the electricity to power the vehicle. FCVs may use pure hydrogen delivered directly from a hydrogen fueling station, or may extract hydrogen from a hydrogen-containing fuel. In the latter case, a service terminal may, for example, transmit a hydrogen-containing liquid such as methanol to the FCV, for reforming into hydrogen by an on-board methanol reformer. As another example, the FCV may have an on-board electrolyzer that uses electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water molecules supplied to the vehicle by the service terminal.
Because the FCV has different servicing requirements than gasoline-powered vehicles and because no FCV has yet to enter full-scale commercial production, no FCV servicing system is known to exist. Such an FCV servicing system would require service terminals that are configured to service FCVs. Providing such an FCV service terminal presents many challenges, including providing cost-effective and efficient systems for connecting the FCV to the service terminal.
One such challenge is identifying which vehicle is seeking coupling with a specific identified service terminal prior to the actual coupling, so that specific terminal, and none other, may be prepared for coupling with that vehicle and none other.
Another such challenge is positioning the vehicle with respect to the service terminal with sufficient accuracy that automatic coupling can be effected.
In one example of the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,587 discloses a means of identifying moving vehicles in delineated traffic lanes for the purpose of collecting tolls. No means of linking the identity of the vehicle with the identity of the identifying unit, or any use of such linking is disclosed. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,187 discloses a means of identifying stationary vehicles in a parking lot for the purpose of collecting parking fees dependent on the length of time the vehicle has been parked. No means of linking the identity of the vehicle with the identity of the identifying unit, or any use of such linking is disclosed. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,556 discloses an improved method of determining the location of moving vehicles in delineated traffic lanes in order to better communicate with them for the purpose of determining if they have an electronic receipt for toll paid. In this prior art, no identification of vehicles takes place in the event that they are capable of providing an electronic receipt. When they cannot, identification is effected by photographing the license plate of the offending vehicle. In a further example of prior art, International patent application no WO 93/19435 discloses a means of interrogating a parking fee device inside a vehicle by an attendant outside the vehicle.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,693 discloses a means of identifying vehicles entering or leaving an area for security and marketing purposes. No means of linking the identity of the vehicle with the identity of the identifying unit, or any use of such linking is disclosed.
International patent application no. WO 01/25056 discloses a means of wireless transmission of data between the body of a vehicle and various elements of the vehicle such as sliding doors and seats. This communications is restricted to elements within a vehicle, and does not provide extra-vehicular communications.
None of the aforementioned disclosures address the location and association of a specific vehicle with a specific service terminal so that the system is prepared for coupling of the vehicle and the transfer of said physical resources or energy or data or any combination thereof and to ensure that only the specific service terminal is activated for coupling and transfer.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,380 discloses a method of identifying vehicles entering a prescribed area to enable billing for purchases made while in the prescribed area. However, this patent does not cover the instance whereby automatic servicing can be effected, or the instance whereby a specific service terminal is identified with a specific vehicle. An object of the present invention is to establish communications between a service terminal and a vehicle moving towards that service terminal in order to prepare automatic service apparatus to be ready when the vehicle docks. A further object of the present invention is that these same communications are used to determine when the vehicle is in a couplable position.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,868 discloses a system capable of differentiating between types of transponders, such as those carried on a person and those mounted on a vehicle. A purpose is to permit personal movement whilst limiting or preventing vehicle movement during manual fueling. In one embodiment of this latter disclosure, multiple antennas are used to locate and to determine movement of a transponder on a vehicle. However, neither of these two examples of this prior art covers the instance whereby automatic servicing can be effected, nor the instance whereby a specific service terminal is identified with a specific vehicle.
In a further example of the prior art, European patent application no. EP 1,038,830 discloses a fuel dispensing system for determining whether a vehicle is equipped with an on-board fuel vapor recovery system when manual fueling is used. In this prior art, vehicle location is typically determined through the use of multiple antennas dispersed at a fueling station, and triangulation means. It is an object of the present invention that a zone of proximity detection related to a service terminal be established by means of detection at that service terminal only. It is a further object of this present invention that the identification of both the service terminal and the vehicle be associated or combined for all subsequent processing.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,819 discloses a means of monitoring the fueling process of a stationary vehicle. This disclosure requires the operator to manually insert a fueling nozzle into a tank. A radio frequency (RF) pickup coil on the fueling nozzle then communicates with a similar coil on the tank. An object of the present invention is to establish communications between a service terminal and a vehicle moving towards that service terminal in order to prepare automatic service apparatus before the vehicle docks. A further object of this present invention is that the communications established are also employed to guide the vehicle to the correct position for coupling.
The present invention includes a system for identifying a vehicle that is within a specified distance from an automatic service terminal such that automatic coupling with the service terminal can be effected, as well as identification of the service terminal. Further, through the combining of the vehicle identification data with the service terminal identification data, and by further transmitting the combination of the vehicle identification data and the service terminal identification data to a service port controller or station controller, the service terminal can be enabled such that services can be initiated rapidly after coupling with the vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to enable automated vehicle docking within a suitable parked range. It is also an object of the present invention to enable continuous secure service transactions once a vehicle has docked.
In addition, in those embodiments incorporating multiple service terminals, the present invention includes a means of ensuring that no other service terminal on an energy exchange station can be enabled for coupling with the vehicle and that no other vehicle can be permitted to simultaneously couple with that service terminal.
The vehicle identification and orientation may be accomplished by means of a transponder that requires no external power source and that is interrogated by a transceiver, or by transceivers located at the service terminal and on the vehicle, which can interchange information one with the other. One of such transponders can be deployed in or on a vehicle whilst the transceiver or transceivers is deployed in, on or near a service terminal, or alternatively, one of such transponders can be deployed in, on or near a service terminal, whilst the transceiver or pair of transceivers is deployed in or on a vehicle.
In all cases covered by the present invention, the transceivers are located such that identification cannot be effected unless a vehicle is oriented according to the objects of the present invention with respect to a service terminal such that authorized coupling can occur.
One embodiment of the present invention includes a transponder deployed in or on a vehicle and a transceiver deployed in, on or near a service terminal. In this embodiment a vehicle operator selects or is directed to a service terminal to couple with and attempts to park the vehicle in a position that permits automated coupling to the service terminal. Once the vehicle is within a specified distance from the service terminal, attempts by the transceiver to interrogate the transponder are successful and the transceiver obtains the vehicle""s identification code. In this embodiment the transponder and the transceiver may consist of a passive RFID tag and an active RFID reader or a passive optical marker and an active optical marker reader or a passive wireless transponder and an active wireless transceiver, or a bar code label and bar code reader.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a transponder deployed in, on or near a service terminal and a transceiver deployed in or on a vehicle. In this embodiment, a vehicle operator selects or is directed to a service terminal to couple with and attempts to park the vehicle in a position that permits automated coupling to the service terminal. Once the vehicle is within a specified distance from the service terminal, attempts by the transceiver to interrogate the transponder are successful and the transceiver obtains the service terminals identification code. In this embodiment, the transponder and transceiver may consist of a passive RFID tag and an active RFID reader or a passive optical marker and an active optical marker reader, or a passive wireless transponder and an active wireless transceiver, or a bar code label and bar code reader. Also in this embodiment a wireless transceiver is located on the vehicle to provide communications between the vehicle and a wireless transceiver located at the service terminals or energy exchange station.
A further embodiment of the present invention includes a first wireless transceiver deployed in, on or near a service terminal and a second wireless transceiver deployed in or on a vehicle. In this embodiment a vehicle operator selects or is directed to a service terminal to couple with and attempts to park the vehicle in a position that permits automated coupling to the service terminal. Once the vehicle is within a specified distance from the service terminal, the first and second wireless transceivers establish inter-communications and transmit and receive data including, but not restricted to, the vehicle""s identification code. In this embodiment the effective radiated power of the transmitter or the beam width of the transmitter or the sensitivity of the receiver or the beam width of the receiver or any combination thereof is arranged so as to not cause interference to or receive interference from other service terminals or from vehicles attempting to couple with other service terminals. This embodiment includes an option whereby a third wireless transceiver mounted in or on the vehicle can communicate directly with a stationary wireless transceiver located at the service terminal or energy exchange station. In those embodiments incorporating multiple ports, the service terminals may be physically deployed adjacent one to the other. Sets of adjacent service terminals may be located on either side of a central median. Any number of vehicles may couple with service terminals simultaneously up to and including the total number of service terminals on an energy exchange station. Also, a vehicle identifier may include further identification data related to which class of a group of classes the vehicle belongs. These classes may consist of any categories to which vehicles may be assigned, and may relate to type or configuration of service terminal associated with that class of vehicles.
Irrespective of the particular embodiment, a vehicle identification code combined with associated service terminal identification code is passed to a service port controller or a station controller. Such controllers are so configured such that only the selected service terminal can be associated with the vehicle identification code. The controller then sends the pre-defined control signals to the selected service terminal to configure the service terminal for coupling with the vehicle.
Further, the vehicle identification code may include a vehicle identification number as is commonly understood. Alternatively, a non-unique identification number that identifies the vehicle as suitable for coupling may be used, in combination with a second unique identification number, communicated through vehicle wireless communications.